


It Came in Waves

by iamtyping98



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Corruption, F/F, First Meetings, Flashbacks, Fluff, Healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-17 14:22:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8147288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamtyping98/pseuds/iamtyping98
Summary: Their first meeting? Stars, that’s hard to say… Because how do you really explain that it wasn’t like most meetings? Most meetings, you take the step quickly - one minute you don’t know each other, you’re not a part of each other’s lives. And then BAM! The next minute you are, and everything is suddenly different because of it.That wasn’t the case for them. But the beginning, I suppose, would have been something over 5,000 years ago, in a small bunker located in Facet 6…





	

_ Their first meeting? Stars, that’s hard to say… Because how do you really explain that it wasn’t like most meetings? Most meetings, you take the step quickly - one minute you don’t know each other, you’re not a part of each other’s lives. And then BAM! The next minute you are, and everything is suddenly different because of it. _

_ That wasn’t the case for them. _

_ But the beginning, I suppose, would have been something over 5,000 years ago, in a small bunker located in Facet 6… _

She stood in line as they were being counted, taking their time for the right moment to strike. The enemy was heading for their base, choosing to make a direct attack for once. The call got to her and she shouted out her number, “RUBY-1F4 CUT-4ND!”

And so it continued down the line.

It seemed like that was most of what life was: waiting.

A shuffle went up through the crowd as their commander moved towards the bay doors, hand hovering over the button.

Well. Only mostly.

The button was pressed and the doors opened wide.

“Rubies! ATTACK!”

“AAAAAAAAA!!”

Even though she’d only been made a few centuries ago, she already knew that this was what she loved most. Her existence might have been for the diamonds, but she lived for this moment: the charge. The cacophony of footsteps thundering around her, the planet’s hot yellow sun beating down upon her brow, teeth bared in rage, and the thrill as her fellow Ruby sisters let loose their battle cries, shaking into her very core. This was where she belonged.

As she charged ahead she saw with her lone eye the collection of rebel soldiers rushing towards them. The Crystal Gems…

“RUBIES ASSEMBLE!”

“HUP!”

At the sound she glanced and saw two of her neighbors locking arms, awaiting for someone to jump on top in order to form a tri-fusion. She gladly completed the pyramid and a moment later she was three times her normal size and bashing away at the rebels.

The battle went on for a few hours, gems poofing left and right from both sides. At one point their fusion was attacked and she was forced to split from comrades and make a retreat behind an outcrop of ordinary Earth rock. She collapsed, worn from fighting.

How long had it been at this point? A century? Two? Three? Too long, that was all she knew. This war was too long. What were the rebels even fighting for? It’s not like this planet was worth much. Oh well… She wasn’t going to get anywhere pondering over the ambitions of the Crystal Cowards.

As she leaned back against the rock, she tried to focus on her physical form, tried to will som strength back into it. But stars was that hard. All of this, all of it was too hard. She loved the battle, yes, but it was taxing… And as she sat there she heard the shouts of her comrades, and there was that reminder: any day it could be over. All of her fighting could end in an instant. It was worth it, in order to preserve the rule of the Diamonds of course but…

“But…”

That’s when she heard it: a deep, thrumming groan, vibrating through the ground. A wailing stone? She’d heard that they were in use down here. She peered from her hiding spot and watched as something extraordinary happened. The Crystal Gems - they were retreating.

But why?

“EVERYONE FALL BACK!!”

At the heed of her commander she rushed to join the others and before long they were all crowded in their base. She managed to secure a position near the front of the crowd, not far from a cluster of Spinel soldiers, and waited patiently for further instruction.

From the murmurings that surrounded her, she could glean that most of the other gems were thinking the same thing.  _ “Why end things so soon?”  _ they all wondered.  _ “The Crystal Gems were actually winning...why just retreat?” _

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a shout from their commander.

“SILENCE!” They did as she’d commanded, and a hush fell over the room as Topaz stepped forward.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering what’s going on - and for once the news is good. Excellent in fact.”

Topaz made a gesture and her Pearl stepped forward and from her gem, projected the image of a quartz soldier. The quartz soldier.

Ruby stared, in awe, as their commander explained how this newly formed soldier, this Jasper, was perhaps the turning point in the war. Just formed that morning from rushed Beta Kindergarten located in Facet 9, she’d burst from the ground, weapon already summoned, and at the order of her commander had begun taking out enemy gems left and right. SHE was the reason the Crystal Gems had retreated today: the call had gone out that so many had been lost, that it’d be better to stop and regroup for the time being.

This quartz soldier was by far the largest Ruby had ever seen, with odd stripes decorating her form, and her gem located in the center of her face in the place of a nose. Only just formed, and she’d already struck a major blow to the rebels…

Some gems were cheering, saying this could be what ended the war, a symbol of hope, a good omen. Some were saying not to get too cocky, that one quartz soldier alone could never be enough to win the fight - they’d need more like her if they wanted any chance. Others were trying to come up with nicknames - “The Perfect Jasper,” she heard one say. “The Facet 9, Kindergarten Quartz that Could!” said another. She felt a few gems nudge her, wanting to hear her opinion. But she gave none.

All she did was stare at the colorless projection of the soldier. Jasper. This soldier was strong. She wouldn’t need to take a break in the middle of a fight, surely. She was something to respect, to look up to. This Jasper deserved to be heaped with praise.

And Ruby quietly hoped that one day she would be the one to give that praise.

_________________________

_ That was when it started. The second part, or the second wave I suppose you could say, came much later. And it came with the closing of the War. _

Over, they’d said. It was all over. The war, and the planet were lost. The Crystal Gems were doomed, of course, but Homeworld certainly hadn’t come out unscathed. She knew that better that anyone.

She stood off to the side of her fellow quartz soldiers. Before long they’d have to assemble and march back to their assigned places, but warping to Homeworld had been a bit of an ordeal, and they were taking what time they could to get their bearings.

Personally, she didn’t care. Before long she’d probably have to report back to the Diamonds, and she’d be back to having limited interactions with her fellow soldiers, but she just. Didn’t. Care.

Instead, she leaned against the glass of the holding room and peered down. She watched as, at the center of the base, gems came flooding from the warp. Common foot soldiers, messengers, technicians, builders, all of them rushing and relieved to be away from Earth. She was relieved too, or at least she supposed she was. She wasn’t really sure of anything anymore.  

That was when something caught her eye. Amidst all of the panicked gems who were busy pushing and jostling one another, was a Ruby. Jasper knew of the Rubies - common foot soldiers, useful at best, dispensable at worst. But this one…

There was no haste about her. While her comrades pushed by her, she continued to slowly march along, head level, back straight, her one eye staring forward at nothing at all. And though they were a good distance apart, Jasper knew perfectly well what this Ruby was feeling: emptiness.

Something in her form stirred. Sadness? No. Empathy? Perhaps. Whatever it was, it was the first genuine emotion she’d felt since…

Since she’d heard the news.

“Jasper?”

She turned her head and, sure enough, a technician had come to summon her to the Diamonds. Yellow Diamond specifically wanted a word with her. She agreed to be there in a moment, before looking back down.

But the one-eyed Ruby soldier was gone, lost amongst the crowd of her fellows. And Jasper knew she’d probably never see her again. She felt a small, strange pang at that realization. But it was a feeling she’d have to get used to. In this life, she was learning, there were many goodbyes. So why should she care at all to begin with?

She pushed past one of her fellow Jaspers and made her way out the door, towards what was left of her life.

____________________________

_ Then of course, was the final piece, what most people would call the real official meeting, something more than just being aware of each other’s existence. _

_ That came much, much later. _

Ruby, or Eyeball as she was now being called, leaned against the side of the barn, watching silently as her fellow officers ran around chasing those tiny green earth creatures. “Grasshoppers,” the Steven called them. “Pests,” said the Pearl. Whatever they were, the two youngest Rubies sure loved them. Their captain stood to the side with that one tough Ruby - Army. Honestly these nicknames were ridiculous. Sure having a bunch of Rubies was a little confusing, but that’s how it had always been. Why change? But then again, what HADN’T changed lately.

“Ugh,” she grunted sick of being alone with her own thoughts. Sure, she’d agreed to stay here with the others, but she hadn’t had much choice. She wasn’t going to  vote against the group. And besides, there was one potential good thing about staying on Earth. If she stayed, she might get to see her...for real this time.

_ Jasper… _

“Hey Eyeball?”

She turned to see the Steven standing next to her, his fleshy, organic hands clasped together.

“That’s not my name, Rose Quartz…”

“Point taken. But I didn’t come to talk about that. It’s, well...I was wondering if maybe you’d want to come with me? Back to the temple?”

She squinted her eye into a glare. “Why?”

“I need your help with something.” He looked around a little before leaning forward and saying, “It’s about Jasper.”

That did it. “What?!”

“Shh!” He motioned for her to be quiet, and then for her to follow him. She did so and the two snuck away from the rest of the group and to the warp pad. A few seconds later they were inside the Steven’s homebase, or the Temple as he called it. They stepped off the warp pad and she turned to him.

“You said this about Jasper. Are you finally going to tell me where she is?”

Again he put his hands together, twiddling his chubby fingers nervously. He wouldn’t look her in the eye. “See, that’s the thing. I know where she is...but she’s not exactly herself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she growled. “Just tell me where she is!”

He let out a breath. “Okay, but just...keep an open mind, okay?”

Maybe it was the look in his eyes, or that she’d waited so long that it didn’t feel real, but for whatever reason a calm came over her, and the old Ruby looked him in the eyes and said, “Okay.”

At her words the door to the Temple opened and on the other side stood the half-Ruby fusion known as Garnet. “Come on in,” she said gently, stepping aside for them.

Steven led her in, while Garnet stayed by the door. Once she reached the room’s boiling center, she looked up to see a ceiling filled with bubbled gems. Fallen soldiers, no doubt. “Which one’s her?” she asked, peering around.

The Steven jumped up and and landed back on the floor holding a purple bubble. Eyeball peered at it to see an orange gem resting inside - a gem familiar from seeing it projected on walls and posters back on Homeworld, famous for it’s perfect cut.

“It’s her…” she murmured, reaching for the bubble. But the Steven stepped back, and Eyeball gritted her teeth in anger. “What now?”

“Eyeball-”

“WHAT?”

He startled a bit at that, but kept his focus. “Eyeball, Jasper’s not exactly herself. She’s been corrupted.”

Silence took over the burning room.

“Corrupted?”

“Yeah. She got it from another corrupted quartz that she tried to fuse with. I’ve been trying to heal her for the past few weeks, and it’s been going okay, but I feel like I’ve hit a dead end.” He paused and stroked the bubble lightly before looking at her again, a look of earnest in his eyes.

“I was wondering if maybe you could help?”

She paused again, suddenly nervous. “M-me?”

“Yeah. I mean, I know that you like her, and that you know a lot about her. I was hoping you could help remind her of all of her good qualities? Maybe?”

_ “Remind her, huh.” _

“Well. I could try.”

He smiled. “That’s the spirit! Okay, you might want to step back. She tends to make a big entrance.”

She did as he asked, taking a step back, and he popped the bubble, catching the pointed gem in his hand.

“Just give it a second,” he said, if nothing but to fill the silence.

A moment later the gem glowed and hovered into the air, and Eyeball watched, thunderstruck as Jasper’s form began to take shape before her eye. The light from the gem twisted and fizzled, making a strange popping sound, and a slight cry before it became something whole and breathing that landed on the floor in a heap.

Eyeball stepped back again, to give the being some space. A great main of hair, orange and blue spikes, spots running down it’s massive arms… This was Jasper?

The being lifted it’s head.

_ Yes. This was Jasper. _

There were those focused eyes, the gem, the stripes that she had seen so many times, now resting in front of her, full of color and life.

And pain.  Her eyes were so tired. And Eyeball could see why - the corruption had really done a number on her, particularly her right arm. If it could even be called an arm, it was so misshapen...

It was then that she remembered Jasper was looking at her. Had been for a few moments. She met her weary gaze and struggled to find something to say.

“Jasper?” she finally made out. “Hi there. I know you don’t know me, but I’m Ruby-1F-”

“You…”

“-4 Cut-4… Huh?”

“You,” she said again, a bit more strongly, lifting her head a little higher. “I’ve seen you before.”

Eyeball raised her brows in surprise at this statement. “You have?”

A slight nod at that. Jasper winced in pain as she struggled to sit up. The blue spots tainting her sking shifted and spread a little with each movement, and Eyeball noticed the Steven was looking nervous. But Jasper looked steadier than she had in the last few minutes and Eyeball took that as a good sign.

“I saw you… At the end of the war, when everyone was warping home.” Jasper paused and clenched her right fist. “Everyone was running around, acting crazy. And there was you.”

Eyeball shrunk a little. Not from fear or embarassment, but from shyness. Jasper had noticed her?

“You were the only one,” the quartz panted, “who looked calm. The only one who looked like I felt.”

Eyeball understood then.

“The war was hard,” she said, taking a step closer this time. “I can’t imagine what it must have been for someone newly formed.”

Jasper let out a huff of bitter laughter looked down again at her deformed hands. She glanced at Steven made a little motion. The young quartz stepped over and pressed his lips to her arm. Sparkles burst forth and a small of bit of the blue began to recede.

“Little Quartz here thinks he can heal me up,” Jasper grunted after a moment. She met Eyeball’s gaze again. “Well soldier,” she said, almost sarcastically, “you think an Earthling can do it.”

Eyeball mulled this over a little, before coming to what she deemed the right answer. “From what I’ve heard, anything can happen on Earth.” She sat down so that she could look into Jasper’s eyes from under her thick bangs. “After all, you’re from here, aren’t you?”

Jasper’s eyes widened a little, and she let out another short laugh, a little less bitter this time. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Eyeball smiled a little, and in a moment of boldness, reached over and rested a hand on Jasper’s misshapened limb. The quartz met her gaze evenly.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Eyball murmured.

And there wasn’t a trace of bitterness in it when Jasper smiled and said, “Yeah. Same here.”

________________________

  
_ As I said, it wasn’t like most meetings. But it was a meeting nonetheless, and an important one at that. And this marked the true beginning of what would come to be a very important friendship. But that, of course, is another story. _


End file.
